British Columbia Corps of Royal Engineers

The British Columbia Corps of Royal Engineers, usually known as the Royal British Columbia Engineers and colloquially known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Columbia Army.

It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Columbia Defence Force. Sappers are also fully trained as infantry soldiers and have a secondary infantry role as well.

Some ranks in Royal BC Engineer units are different from those in other Army units. Specifically, in all units of the RBCE a Private is called a Sapper (Spr).

History
The construction of the Cariboo Wagon Road, later renamed the Queen's Highway, began in 1860 with some British Royal Engineers and a large number of volunteer labourers. By 1861 the labourers were organised as the British Columbia Sappers & Miners'.

In April 1877, after the passing of the Permanent Militia Act 1876 by the BC Parliament established the foundations of what would become the BC Army, the BC government amalgamated the Sappers & Miners with various other entities - telegraphers, submarine miners, field, fortress and electrical engineers and others - into a new formation called the British Columbia Engineering Corps.

In July 1903 the BC Engineering Corps was renamed the British Columbia Corps of Engineers, and on 29 August 1938 it was given Royal Assent, since which time it is known by its current name, British Columbia Corps of Royal Engineers.

Engagements and Battle Honours
Instead of being granted battle honours for individual battles, the RBCE has (like its parent corps, the Royal Engineers) the "battle honour" Ubique (Latin: "Everywhere") to indicate that they has taken part in every conflict involving the BC Army.

In 1947 the BCRE was inducted into the Order of the Garter in recognition of its efforts during the Second World War.

Regimental Alliances

 * Australia Corps of Royal Australian Engineers
 * Canada Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers
 * India Indian Army Corps of Engineers
 * New Zealand Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers
 * Rhodesia Corps of Royal Rhodesian Engineers
 * South Africa South African Corps of Engineers
 * United Kingdom Corps of Royal Engineers